Eylea DMO recommendation from NICE

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Eylea for patients with diabetic macular oedema (DMO), after securing a patient access scheme to reduce the cost of the drug for NHS patients.

The latest recommendation, published by NICE last week (20 February), follows draft guidance announced last year by the appraisal body.

In addition to patient eligibility, the drug’s manufacturer, Bayer, must provide aflibercept to the NHS at an undisclosed discount agreed in the patient access scheme with the Department of Health – which will see the drug reduced from its list price of £816 per 2mg intravitreal injection.

The anti-VEGF treatment is injected into the vitreous of the patient, and acts to disrupt the growth of new blood vessels by inhibiting a growth factor, and also reduces associated inflammation in DMO.

NICE has recommended that Bayer’s anti-VEGF treatment (aflibercept) be a treatment option for DMO patients with a central retinal thickness of 400µm or more at the start of treatment.

Director of the Health Technology Evaluation Centre at NICE, Dr Carole Longso, said: “[DMO] is a common problem among people with diabetes. The manufacturer has agreed a patient access scheme which reduces the financial burden of aflibercept on the NHS. NICE is, therefore, pleased to recommend aflibercept as an additional treatment option for some people with diabetic macular oedema in preliminary guidance.”